Path to righteousness
by Blixa
Summary: In order to clean his name Zelgadis have to find a real killer who blamed him for murder. Or not? Madness is expanding through him as he walk his path to righteousness and different unravelments. First ending updated.
1. Righteousness?

**A/N:** Its basically about Zelgadis and his temperament, as well as his reactions toward others and normal people. But its mystery too.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters and series.

**Rating:** T for some corpses and blood.

* * *

It was hot, the pinching pain of this, on the fall not that much present element, affirmed him in his verdict. Something happened. Everything he thought, was about his last moment before he closed his eyes. Pictures were dirty, green black with clashing of metal in background. He didn't know how long he laid there and the heat told him there is mistake, but he didn't want to open his eyes. Didn't want, afraid about the reality.  
The thoughts from last night started to appear again, discontinuous pictures, scenes, scents, sounds, backgrounds. The heat got him up finally, he stood. _Heat?_ Zelgadis slowly opened his eyes. But he didn't remember what he saw, or he didn't want to? Ash, there was a ash, dust, burned trees even. There was a contrastive crossover between cold fall climate and warm burnt ground. _Explosion?_ This piece of knowledge was more than visible, he laid in the middle of it. So far, it wasn't that bad, temporary amnesia by reason of some fight or whatever. There was itching on his head, he scratched between the wires. Now he realized the fact, what he should not overlook. His hands were covered in blood. After a while, he turned away from the hands and focused on two burned bodies, exactly in the middle of burnt out crater. 

"What the hell!"

Shock, he was full of shock, two burned corpses,  
he with his perfect hearing, heard hissing of meat. But even in this situation, he remained in calm state. _I surely didn't cause this._  
The blood on the hands witnessed opposite fact. It was dried, he tried to wipe it over his leg, but nothing happened.

_The blood can't be washed away as dirt._

The cogitations weren't a big ally, he tried to remember. It was no good. Something ate his guts from inside, the guilt.  
He didn't want to admit it, but everything indicated, that he killed someone, friend or enemy. This dilemma didn't leave him calm now, he tried to remember constantly. He remembered something, papers, numbers, pictures of reality.

"Did i kill someone of them?"

Zelgadis thought about his act and about risk, that two of his three friends could be burned there. It could be in fight, with someone, something, _with what?_ He slowly approached the bodies.

_Amelia..._

He left a sigh, when the fact that both corpses were men, was discovered. This could mean, that it wasn't in a fight. However, it partly confirmed the other fact, that he killed someone. _Consequence of my search for cure?_ He didn't know what happened, but he did know that his chimeric body protected him from burning and even worse injury. The brain started to be overfill, he felt the combination of pain, laugh, blood, helplessness, sympathy and...  
_I hope nothing happened to her._

He turned around and recognized one less burned tree. Suddenly, the pictures appeared again.  
Low-pitched voice, fireball or another similar spell in the hand, man with cape.

_"Prepare for death Zelgadis, it shall visit you again!"_

Next thing, what he remembered, was burning of chest, maybe he punched him with fireball. Then only pain and big hole in his memory.  
Every next second lowered the temperature around for about half of a degree. _It's not long, since it happened._ Indeed it didn't make sense his mind told him, that he will survive it, that he will take over it. _Perhaps._ He once again assured himself, that none of the corpses belongs to his friends. Put on cape and his wool mask, so that on his face was again only few wire hair visible. And set forth path towards town.

His steps were more slower, amnesia don't gave him a rest. Something was appearing in his memory, but he couldn't say what, each time it happens and he tried to catch the thought and remember something, it vanished instantly. He again repeated everything, he done before he got himself in this detonative situation. _One thing is sure, i was there for cure._

"Dammit!"

Suddenly, he shouted when he realized, that he lost all the important informations and leads to his goal in his memory. The anger disappeared soon, it was replaced by feelings of confusion and despair along with blood stained hands. The blood was dried and the duration between the burning of crater and it, was about two hours. _Who was it anyway?_ Man with height same as his, in cape. The pain started to spread through his head, he stop thought about it, it led nowhere. It was desperate. The way, on which he walked, was made from stones, the stones were tiled into ground.  
_The Kings road_. The edging, was made from the stones of different color, quality road.

His hearing caught something, someone walked behind him. He quickly hide behind the bush, which was next to the path, why? He decided to wait for them to pass by, he didn't want to involve himself in something.Zelgadis was different and had blood stained hands. _Adverse combination.  
_The characters passed by, mumbled something about bounty, it was large amount, too large amount. Something in him, was afraid that they will see him, but why? _When i started to be afraid of other people. Wanderer, lone wolf and sometimes even an idiot._ He sat there, in that grass for a while and thought about his life, as if it were his last chance to sit and thought. Something was happening, that incident, feelings in his body and soul, man what almost killed him, left him live in the middle of crater with two corpses. He again stared at his hand. There flashed a three different pictures, hand covered in blood, normal hand and stone hand. Pictures began to accelerate, colors were changing. His eyes flew from side to side, like some psycho in the seizure, he had enough.

"NO!" He interrupted the carrousel of his thoughts.

Put his hands into pockets and set for path again.

-

The gates, gates leading into white capital, Seyrune, he only watched it and didn't know what to guess about it. He couldn't find any information about, why he was on the way here. His hands were in pockets, they hide blood, which he couldn't wash away. No river, no stream, no pond, no water.

"It's drought enough, on the end of the fall." He traveled all the time, so he must recognize.

_What to do?_ Go to the palace and visit her, or turn around and go find something, what with great plausibility didn't even exist, the people passed him and disclaimed his being by various gesticulation, strictures also. He hated his hearing sometimes. But he hated his body all the time, everywhere, unbelievable disgust from his outer appearance, disgust from stones, from different taunting and vituperations about his skin, which can kill everyone with a little tougher press. Maybe, he killed that day. Maybe, his hands killed someone. Maybe, he killed somebody in one of his strokes of anger and someone wanted to fight him in good intention, maybe the man attacked in self-defense and he killed him, maybe not.

"At any rate, i survived."

_But how did he knew my name?_ With this, he disclaimed his thought before and with oncoming pain of head, he headed to the town. The tavern, was his destination, he wanted to wash his hands and then visit the royal family. _Is it good to visit her, when i could kill someone?_ Steps landed on the stone path and were less and less frequent, when he come closer to entrance of the nearest tavern. _Burned coffin._ What an irony of fate, someone who is controlling it here, must be sadistic and crazy. The handle slipped away from his hand, in the exact time as someone patted on his elbow.  
Zelgadis turned around and saw a man with leather mask on his face, was all white and had a problem.

"Hey you, stone man!" Man with problem shouted.

"I don't have a time to play with you." Zelgadis repeated and again grabbed the handle.

The man came closer and started.

"Aren't you monster boy? Nah, more like spoilage from quarry." The 'Man' laughed. He didn't know that he is pulling tiger by tail.

"I will give you one chance." Zelgadis showed him his back all the time.

"What?" Asked an incomprehensive man, then he saw blood stained hands.

"Maybe you'll see a dawn."

Zelgadis said, turned around and grabbed the man by his wrist. In one move of his hand, he broke his wrist and with strength, he tossed him on ground, he had a strength to wrest it off, but he didn't want any problems. He stare on the attacker, which saw only two angry eyes.

"Your luck didn't run out yet."

He grabbed the handle and stepped into the tavern, everyone in there soaked as trousers thrown into stream, alcoholic tavern. On the way towards bar, he heard different jeers and abuses, but with his venerable experience, it didn't mattered, moreover he was covered, so there was not a problem. Only his blood stained hands. He chose right words in his mind with care and at the end he got to the optimal sentence lines, which will get him into bathroom without hands visible. The innkeeper observed his action before through the decoration window in door and chose easier way, without protest.  
Zelgadis approached and started asking.

"Where is the bathroom?" He was strict and serious.

"There on the right are dirty doors, the one to the left."The taverner didn't want any problems.

Zelgadis was considering option of saying thanks, but then he rejected it. This handle was dirtier, than that at the main entrance, he grabbed it and opened the door, he didn't wait for anything and instantly washed the blood from his hands. Only evidence, which he could clean up sucked in duct reticle. Whirling mix of soap and blood started another thoughts. Luckily, he managed to leave quickly without undertaking thoughts about his earlier actions. The stamina came through the test, so he decided that something to drink would come handy. He came back to the bar with seats and used one of it, this time he had his hands out of his pockets. He watched the taverner for a while.

"I would like to have acoffee." Zelgadis said.

"It run out."

"So, i would like to have a tea." His requirements were strange in this kind of tavern.

"Hmmm..." The innkeeper walked back somewhere.

Then he came back with cup of something, what seemed to be tea and put it onto bar, Zelgadis took the cup and sipped a little. It wasn't a tea, it was a grog.

"True Sailor's."Taverner said

_Tea means alcohol too._ At the beginning, he had a objections, but with the small price and even good taste, he drank his drink. He had alcohol in this body for a few times before, mostly wine, Zelgadis even won some wagers, though he knew that the change into stone is only outer, but then he said to himself. _Maybe demon is absorbing it._ He thought again for a while, about the two corpses and his situation, someone entered tavern, the voice was to clear and familiar to not remember. It was Lina and her venturer (dependent) Gourry. Zelgadis ducked and lost every chance to get out of it unseen. The twilight of the room provided him a little chance, he played drunk, and his right hand supported his head, left held the empty cup. _Get out, don't recognize me._ The sound of steps was magnifying and now silenced right behind him.

"We need room and fast!" Her sentence luckily aimed at taverner.

She didn't recognize, that person before her moved about one seat to the left and talked again.

"And some food will come handy too."

"Food!" replied brighting face of Gourry.

_No changes at all._

"The rooms, are not a problem, but we don't have any food, only alcohol." Innkeeper replied.

_With the name of tavern, its not a surprise._

"What? What are you doing here, if you haven't got any FOOD! " Lina said with the vehemence in the word 'food'.

"Well... we drink." The man which understood the danger started to sweat.

"Then i must fry it up here a little!" There was a forming fireball in her hand.

Zelgadis, when none of them recognized him, decided to stay and watch the situation. _Assistance of voluntary fireman can come handy._ He sat in the corner and had his back towards them, just in case. Sometimes this body is good to have, he listened.

"Nevermind, lets go Gourry they're serving only liquid meals here." She said and didn't want a trouble.

"Lina, you really want to go? Why don't we wait for that soup?" Gourry apparently missed the sarcasm.

Lina grabbed him by his neck and shook a little.

"You idiot, they are only drinking here! And moreover, we never will get some information about that bounty here." And put him down.

These words absorbed Zelgadiss senses, _can she talk about me?_ Three parts, one wanted to run, one wanted to stay, and one wanted to connect into discussion.  
The voices started to talk with innkeeper again, _so they are ordering after all._ The innkeeper recommended them grog.

"True Sailor's, that man in the mask can confirm it."

_Dammit, he blown my cover!_

The leg of the chair broke and Zelgadis sank into floor by his back, Lina tossed him down by some spell. The cape, removed itself in the fall.

"Long time, no see." he gloomed

"And you helped it a lot, why were you hiding anyway?" She asked.

"I couldn't forget my ego." He joked a little and laid all the time.

Lina reached his hair and took some paper out of it, then she quickly read it before Gourry and after a while, Zelgadis whipped it away. He looked at the paper, handwriting didn't tell him anything, only one sentence, a little, a lot, this piece of paper worked as starter to another thoughts.

_We are both on the same path of righteousness..._

As he read the words, it semmed, as it was coming from the mouth of attacker, memory fished another fragment, but in the puzzle there were a lot missing pieces. He crumpled the paper and put it into his pocket. When he took his hand out, he realized that a bit of blood stick to it.

"That bounty is on your head, right?" She asked with the question equal to sharpness of razor blade.

"It's possible." He answered.

"But they framed me. I'm not killing without purpose." Then he explained.

_Or am i?_

"I believe you Zel, but i must say i didn't understand it well." Gourry said and both of them even the taverner placed their hands over faces.

With the risk of bounty, he didn't have to explain the wearing of mask, all three of them left the tavern and were walking in the alley, they didn't know where.  
_I can't go to the palace the guards will catch me and place me into catacombs._ He again planned all his next steps, but unfortunately he couldn't set up anything about the bounty. How to find a real killer, when he didn't even know when it happened? How to decompress the hole in his memory? How to complete the promise, he made to Amelia? His thoughts discouraged him, he choose to concern on the road. None of them talked. After a while of purposeless walk, suddenly a wanted poster appeared before them, there was a description and under it was written.  
_Dead or Alive, spiteful powerful mage, two thousand of gold alive, one thousand dead._

"That sounds good." He said to himself, but they heard it.

"Why they put it on you anyway?" Lina asked

"That's my problem."

Suddenly vase broke behind them. Water splashed out of it, when Lina and Gourry, realized that there is no danger and turned around onto Zelgadis.

"So...?"

But he disappeared. The temperature of rooftop, on which he laid, when he hide before them, was quite comfortable. If he could fall asleep, it would be there.  
The clouds, which were making strange feelings to people under them, feelings of kindness, feelings of guilt, with their characteristic pace moved above him. The shouting under him, disappeared after a while, Lina gave up. He didn't expect, that he would run away so easily. Lina apparently could flew there by levitation spell and find him, but she respected his feelings. _Same path of righteousness..._  
He remembered something, some pictures, figure, voice and other things, but he failed to gather it together. Comfortable warm, made him to close his eyes and try to sleep, but brain wasn't tuned to calm frequency, flickering green color tickled in his closed eyes, psychic problem.  
Eyes slowly opened.

_And the path take strange turns..._

He didn't believe his eyes, it was written on the sky from clouds. With shock in his face, he watched it for a while. Suddenly, something slowly fell from sky, paper.  
And landed in his lap. Zelgadis took the paper. The collection of pictures with smiling and then crying faces, appeared in his memory. He never saw them.

_At midnight, at the second square. - You know who._

"You know who? I don't know who!"

His jump and landing from the rooftop was irrelevant, he brushed himself off the dirt, what was there and decided to have a quick look at mentioned locality.  
Seyrune have only three squares, first is biggest and the gate to palace is leading from there, third is insignificant locality for markets and auctions. The second is the most interesting, there are festivals and social actions as a recruiting and public discussions about problems in kingdom._ I hope, it will be empty.  
_It wasn't empty, the people carried planks and fabrics, in the middle big stage was growing. _Damn, so he's planning something, but what, who?_ He had a feeling that someone is calling for him, he turned around. _Lina?_ No one was behind him, but when he turned, he tossed someone on the ground.

"Pardo..." He wanted to apologize, until the person he tossed, smiled.

"Mr. Zelgadis!" Amelia said optimistic.

"Amelia..."

"I'm glad to see you again, are you here to see me?" Her joy from life didn't leave her, evidently.

"Yes basically, but i have some work to do..." He answered.

"The cure? We can search together!" Her eyes started to shine.

"I am afraid we cant, but i still have some time." He said.

She suggested. that they can walk on the market and talk about news on both sides. The time flew, he explained her, his no luck at cure, that there is none at all. She, with one of hers Justice speeches illuminated him, that the warrior of justice should not give up, that always with the help of justice, he will find what he islooking for. Then she started to talk about her own problems with paperwork and problems in palace, Zelgadis never thought, that she hates this life that hard.  
And never thought, that she can made him smile.

"Mr. Zelgadis?" She asked all of a sudden.

"Yes?"

"About what work were you talking about, if you're not here for cure?" Shewas serious.

They stopped before one of the Wanted posters.

"Lets just say, i need to settle up something." He said.

"Something about that bounty?" _So she know it._

He grabbed her, by her shoulders and started to shake with her.

"Amelia, do you trust me?" He asked in serious tone.

"I..."

"Do you trust me!" He shouted.

"Y-Yes, naturally." She was in shock of his strength.

"I shall come to the second square exactly at midnight, probably the real killer want it." He left hold of her and stared in her eyes.

"Is it dangerous?" Amelia asked.

"I'm sure it is." He answered shortly.

"Then let me go with you, you'll need a help and justice always wins!" She made a classic V pose.

"That's not necessary." He cold answered.

"They can kill you alone!" She was afraid, but he didn't recognize it...

"I'll take my chances." He said.

"Why you're so concerned about me, anyway?" Then he asked and hit her secrets by his question.

"Because... I... have certain... f-feelings towards you."A slight blush appeared on her face.

"I am sorry Amelia, i apologize. I'm sorry."

"But this is my fight."

"Will you come back?" The tears, were forming in her eyes.

"Yes, i promise."

Zelgadis said and disappeared in the shadow.

_And i promised again._

* * *

**Completion:** There are three different endings coming... 


	2. Ending

A/N: First of the three endings to this story. 'Good'

Rating: T -blood and corpses again

Disclaimer: Characters and series are not authors property.

* * *

Without accidents, severities and damages, none of us will make it through the life. -- Aeschylus 

-

_Now i understand._

_I did it._

-

The coldness, coldness filled whole square. People, who were arriving on the big performance named 'deus ex machina', must dress into warmer clothes than afternoon.Steam left their mouths. Not even in their worst thoughts they could think, what kind of play,  
they will see today, what infernal play they would experience today, play full of twists and imperfections, play full of relationships, play full of death. The workers managed to built the stage just in time, as well as stagehands with their work and actors trained their texts for last time.  
Almost everyone in the town slowly started to gather, to see this unique event. And they surely didn't forget it, never.  
Zelgadis sat on the rooftop of one of the houses, he remained unseen, he fitfully waited for his time, when the cause of his problems will reveal, when he will aftermath everything. He watched as the people, with impatience, waited for the beginning of the play, his sight caught three familiar figures. Amelia, Lina and Gourry.

_So they came too. Amelia must somehow find and persuade them to come here, not for the performance, for me.  
_Time went slowly, like days, like weeks. He impatiently watched the big clock on one tower, already started to rejoice and fear, that the time is coming.  
_Too slow._ He watched the stars and recognized various constellations, he didn't believe in astrology, although he had to admit, that his horoscopes came true, few times.  
_Someone will return._ The fortune-teller told him in early evening, when he left Amelia.  
Strange thing was, that she didn't tell him anything else, fortune-teller only wanted her money. _That explosion, that bodies, my hands._ Blood.

He thought that he will know it finally, mysterious man which almost killed him, withstood the paper from sky. It didn't make sense.

"Now." Zelgadis watched the clock again.

The character in cloak and cape appeared above stage, on one side of scaffolding, which supported stability of stage. Different experimental spotlights with candles and lens, lens focused that light, handed there. It was him, the one who almost kill him, the one who played with him, the one who wanted his scalp.  
_Time of unravelment._ Zelgadis thought and grinned. The anxiety appeared and started to ate his conscience.  
He didn't wait for anything and with levitation spell, flew over to another side of scaffolding._ Scaffolding?_ More like long plank tied in the middle.  
He stared at his enemy. The enemy reminded him something. He couldn't say what.  
It was here. Bell rang, midnight.  
Two figures on opposite sides, in capes, but were they on the opposite sides of righteousness? Or on the same, on bad/good side.  
_The End._ None of them wanted to start discussion, they only stood there and watched each other, none showed preparing for combat.  
Quiet before the storm. Finally man against Zelgadis spoke.

"Will we stand here forever?" Low-pitched voice, which seemed to come through worst awfulness of the world.

"No..." Zelgadis said and started to activate his memory.

"Ok, lets get started." Man before him put his hands into combat position.

Zelgadis prepared some spell and drawing of his sword too, he chose spell. The man launched some green thing, which matched with fireball in strength, he did it without casting it. The ball was approximating fast and Zelgadis jumped to avoid it.  
In fall, he needed to balance on the plank, he almost fell down. _That was good._ The play under, was in the middle now, when the people started to noticing the play above. Flashes of spells on both sides, get the attention of Amelia and others.

"Look, up there!" Gourry shouted.

"Zelgadis..." Amelia whispered.

The spotlights focused at persons on the scaffolding, Zelgadis and attacker covered their eyes. The attacker started to smile,  
when he covered his eyes, it made a mysterious and wrathful look, the mask covered all other things. _Who is this? I know him, i know it.  
_But he failed to find something about him.

"Who are you, anyway!" Zelgadis asked and stopped to cover his face.

"Call me, Constrictor..."

"I will illuminate more, for reward."

Man whispered and formed another spell, strange spell. He ran towards Zelgadis, who wanted to draw his sword, but he didn't make it.  
_Too late._ Constrictor laid the spell on his chest, it was too similar to their meeting before. _Huh?_ Zelgadis awaited pain, nothing happened, nothing.

"I don't finished it before..." He started to laugh.

_Finished, what?_ Zelgadis said to himself and looked full of questions, under him, someone shouted. Amelia and others. _Who would not notice this play.  
_They stood there between amounts of people and only watched, _they respect my private._ He turned to Constrictor, who smiled constantly and watched him.  
_I saw him, i knew him, i forgot him._ _What he wanted to finish, why he killed those people and why he wanted to kill me, why cant i remember?_  
He matched him with enemies he met, with no accomplishment. He thought about what to say, what to think.  
That fortune-teller. _Someone will return._

"Finished what?" Zelgadis asked.

"Does it matter?" Constrictor asked now.

And with his palm, he reached into air before him, this act threw away Zelgadis's balance a little, telekinesis. Constrictor did it again, with bigger strength.  
Zelgadis balanced on the edge of plank and then started to fall. It was about fifteen meters, the air whistled in his ears.

"Levitation!"

Zelgadis shouted and prepared on quick comeback, he realized that nothing happened. Constrictor grinned. Zelgadis's mind panicked about fact, that he took his ability. _This is bad.  
_The dust left the stage and few planks broke, when he sank into it, there was a lowing and rejoicing in the audience, the people further from stage thought, that it was part of the play. But Amelia didn't.

"Mr. Zelgadis!" She shouted in despair.

"Zel is tough, this is nothing." Lina calmed her down.

"I know, but why he didn't levitated himself?" Amelia disproved Lina's thought.

"I don't know..."

Constrictor withstood on stage, actors ran away. He only grinned and didn't expect resistance, but from hole which remained after his fall Zelgadis jumped.  
His chimeric body saved him, like if Rezo blessed him.

"It's not over yet!" Zelgadis said and drew his sword.

Constrictor stopped grinning, but don't took combat position.

"You don't want to know what happened?" He asked.

"Go to hell." Zelgadis replied.

Constrictor didn't laugh.

"You surely want to ask who am i? Who killed that people? Why i invited you here and why i fight with you? How to bring together?" Constrictor stared at Zelgadis.

Zelgadis lowered his sword. _It's here._

"Who are you! What do you want from me?" Zelgadis shouted.

"You really don't remember me?" Constrictor asked strangely.

Lina and the others were surprised. _Zelgadis know him?_ The tension in audience grew, this was more interesting than some shallow play, and on the top of it, it was without script, withviolence.  
He thought about everything he went through, none of the memories contained name 'Constrictor' or similar. _Do i really want to know it?  
My past is dark, but like this?_

"No way."

"Sorry, i should put it better, you really don't remember me, brother?"

"WHAT?"

Zelgadis shouted and the pain in his memory left, when he tried to remember, it unlocked another part of that hole, which someone erased, the part, what he wanted to forget, his relatives. Possibility, that he had a brother was big, he never learned anything about his family from Rezo, he didn't asked, but brother, with this even his fantasy didn't come._ I have a brother?_ The electrons in his brain searched for informations, leads, but nothing. There was still something missing.  
_And why that green?_ Any time he wanted to thought about two burned bodies, green appeared and filled his eyes. Nothing was clear, it still didn't make sense.  
The thing, what Constrictor said, got attention of Amelia, Lina and Gourry even. _Can he have a brother? Not that he talked about himself before.  
_Zelgadis beat his head with his empty hand. _Remember. Remember, dammit!_

"Memory problems?" Constrictor had a sense of humor.

"Yes its true, i am your brother. But why don't you remember me? Its simple. When you born... 'accident' caught our parents and because i was adult, and i couldn't take care of you - i didn't want to - i gave you to Rezo's care. He obviously took the nurturance with carefulness, as i see. Unfortunately i couldn't find you, because you were searching for that cure of yours, until now, i chose a trap."

Constrictor explained without remorse or sorrow, colder than Zelgadis, colder than this night.  
In Zelgadis, three feelings were mixing, feelings he didn't know he had, parents what he never saw suddenly appeared in his eyes.  
Little tear slipped on his cheek.

None of people in audience, nor his friends talked, Amelia was hit by feeling which Zelgadis showed.

"Accident?" Zelgadis said with apathetic voice.

"You killed them?" He added.

"Of course." Was the answer.

"What did you thought? That i am strong only on outside, like my weak and sensitive brother." Constrictor grinned again.

Zelgadis, felt anger now. Anger to the brother he didn't even know, anger to his own blood. This anger, formed in him all the time of their fight,  
all that time he tried to remain calm and combat capable, now he couldn't. _Mom._.. Little voice somewhere inside him said and woman picture, which he couldn't remember, appeared. Smiling woman, talking with love. Then man with happy look. _Dad..._ The picture was blurry, but when he saw it, he could be one month old. It was a great output. _He killed my parents._ The relay of anger made a drift, which flow into his brain, indicated his moves. His hands shook, under the pressure of anger, look on his face don't showed good mood too. He couldn't breath. Zelgadis removed his cape and mask, suddenly audience silenced.  
_Nothing is changing, they're still disclaiming._ He griped his sword and ran towards his enemy.

"You monster!" He shouted and tried to slash his chest.

The contact with Constrictors body made a blue wall, then it pushed Zelgadis about few meters onto ground.

"What a family reunion."

Constrictor said and he removed his cape and mask too. Same hair style, similar features in face, green hair. _So this is that green._ Constrictor was a human, he hadn't had any chimeric features. _So i should look like this, only that color._ Amelia held her breath, she didn't know what to do. '_This is my fight.'_  
Zelgadis laid on stage full of shock, _what injustice._ He, who many times helped good and won over evil, is cursed with this curse and his evil brother, is still human.  
Then he started to blame himself, that power what he wanted was for nothing now. Even with it, he failed to win over his feelings, over his family.  
_I cant kill my brother._ But he killed his, their parents, he not deserved anything else.  
Zelgadis stood and again arose in combat position.

"Maybe i haven't got spells, but i still can stab you!" He again start up.

Constrictor tripped his leg and Zelgadis fell again.

"I think you cant." Constrictor said and drew his dagger.

Pictures appeared again. They were shifting. His hands covered in blood, running mother and two burnt corpses, again clashing of metal and sounds, unrelated with this situation, suddenly in his memory scenes, dagger started to prevail. The weapon which killed his parents. That color, what was encoded in his memory was green. He saw him, as he killed his parents. Green, dark, red.

Constrictor laid the dagger on his neck. Zelgadis laughed, that hit him.

"This, isn't enough on me." He explained his laugh.

Zelgadis grabbed his wrist and tried to broke it, like with that man before, he tossed him but he didn't managed to broke it.  
Both of them took combat position.

"Whats your name?" Suddenly Zelgadis asked.

"Sidag." Replied glooming Constrictor.

This hit Amelia as well as Lina, not Gourry of course, when she added Zel and turned it upside down, Zelgadis appeared.

"Our parents, had a sense of humor." Zelgadis said.

"No doubt."

Another lunge was from Sidag, Zelgadis resisted it easily. The weapons scratched against themselves, little sparks appeared, none of them backed away.

"Yes, i killed them, but why? That is ringing in your head, right?" Sidag talked in this unacceptable position.

Zelgadis concentrated on the fight, he haven't got time to notice some enigmas.

"Did i burned that men, or not?" Sidag continued.

"More than mysterious." Zelgadis answered.

Blue barrier appeared again stronger, more brutal, bigger. It shined on the whole square, audience started to panic, but quickly calmed. Except Amelia.

"Mr. Zelgadis? MR. ZELGADIS!" The tears now appeared.

The time really is relative to the eyes of the observer. Whole lifetime is shown, in that split second. His body flew in the consequence of defense spell, it flew fast. His brain slowed the events around him, epinephrine helped it.

_Now i understand._

_I did it._

He realized, that he killed them. His own blood killed them, his brother.  
He flew slower and slower, brain was constantly slowing the time, background started to change, he stopped in the air entirely. Suddenly, he laid in the middle of grass and above him, last autumn leaves fell with reflection. _Where am i?_ The resonance of his question rolled in his thoughts. Two people, man and woman walked towards east and womancarried something in the basket. When he came closer, he realized that small boy was sleeping there peacefully, Zelgadis didn't expect any danger.  
Everyone, invisible Zelgadis even, reached small house and woman spoke something, man denied her question and tried to open the door. Horror started.  
Figure with green hair, jumped from the rooftop and slit his throat. _Dad!_ Zelgadis heard woman scream, he wanted to protect them, but he couldn't.  
It was only a memory. Woman with the basket ran, she looked back constantly and then lost at speed. She tumbled over a log. The basket fell out from her arms, she couldn't reach it, green came. Sidag stared at little Zelgadis and stabbed her chest. _Mom!_ Sidag tossed her into river. Invisible Zelgadis fell into grass and started to move and accelerate again. The return into reality. Fear and scarlet.  
Brain returned into real time, everything gain speed. He clashed against wall of house near to stage, the whole wall fell over him.  
Amelia with cry and tears ran towards the debris, which remained and desperately started to dig. Lina and Gourry joined in.  
Suddenly the broken pebbles and bricks started to rose, Zelgadis stood. Amelia and the others watched him. Blood descended from his head. He gloomed and watched Constrictor.

"Mr. Zelgadis..." Amelia embraced him.

Zelgadis didn't restrain it, but didn't return it, he still had some work to do.

He grabbed Amelia and cut off her embrace.

"I need to finish it."

She wanted to say something but he cut her off.

"Alone."

_Revenge, what nonsense, what insanity, what stupidity._ But only this made sense, only this had destination. Zelgadis slowly walked to the stage, everyone watched him.  
The people, except three, didn't know if he is on side of good or evil. _Same side of righteousness._ The group of people made him path, as he walked towards the stage.  
_Someone will return._ _That stupid fortune-teller, she couldn't add more details?_ The theater get through break, last act started.  
When he was in the middle of the route, he suddenly started to lift and felt tension in his body, Sidag manipulated with him again. Zelgadis with big strength flew right towards his brother, Sidag released him, just before him.They stood there.

"This strength, should be enough." Sidag suddenly said, as a comment to his barrier before.

"Enough..." Zelgadis said.

"How doyou do it? You are demon and you aren't angry towards normal people?I must drain power from them to survive, to beat the demon."

Sidag suddenly explained.  
_So that is why._ He was half demon and half human, in order to kept the demon under his control, he needed power, power he haven't got.

"I am not demon..." Zelgadis answered with his pebble face.

"You are!" Sidag shouted and started to constrict him with the spell before.

"Were both!"

Zelgadis lifted about few centimeters above ground, he couldn't catch a breath. He hadn't had any power, any opportunity to defense, his sword fell.  
His lens started to narrow, in the absence of oxygen.Brain indicated danger and neck narrowed more and more. _At least, i didn't kill anyone._ He commented the picture what appeared.

_Sigad, holding Zelgadis in the same way as now, tried to drain him, but his body was too solid. Suddenly two guards appeared and started to shout.  
"Release that man!" Sidag smiled, blinked at Zelgadis, turned and burned them by magic. Then he tossed Zelgadis in the middle of crater and left him to his own fate, he let him taste the guilt. How simple._

_So thats how it was._ No oxygen in the brain, brought Zelgadis to remember. Zelgadis slowly started to lost consciousness. _Wait.  
_His right hand tried to reach the pocket. _Only small... chance..._ Zelgadis rustled in pocket and then took out his hand.

"Bomb di wind."

He said with his last drop of energy and Sidag under violent gust of wind released his grip on Zelgadis's neck, Chimera fell on his legs, he wanted to took his sword.

"Impossible!" Sidag shouted, because he didn't know how Zelgadis did it.

Zelgadis took the sword, it was too heavy, he dragged it behind him with his right hand. The sword left crease in the wood as he pulled. He came closer to laying Sidag.

"...astral...vine..." Zelgadis said and tried to work off his state before.

The sword left a red crease in wood. Red as blood, which he had on his hands, blood what Sidag sacrificed to produce his plan, red as his past.  
If there was something on the world, what related almost all living beings on world, it was blood, scarlet. _Theres nothing in this world to believe in.  
_Sidag laid, he was in shock about results, how it will end. Zelgadis lifted his sword and aimed at Sidag's chest. They stood like that for a while.  
The sword started to shake and spell over it disappeared. Zelgadis tossed it behind him, the small sphere with star what Amelia gave him, as a promise and argument to return.  
Couldn't multiply his strength forever. He fell on his knees._ I cant kill my brother, i cant, i cant let the demon win.  
I cant have that blood._

"Do you know why i set that trap... why i wanted to find you...?" Sidag, with calm voice, said.

"That demon absorbed me, he controlled me. I only wanted to..." He couldn't end the sentence.

"I wanted to..." Something in him tried to stop the emotion. _Fight with demon._

"I... wanted to die by hand of my brother." Finally he said and Zelgadis stared at him with confusion.

"Don't let... the demon to absorb you as me... choose life..." Sidag was saying and he slowly stood and drew his dagger.

"However... you have to die..." He said and came closer to Zelgadis. Zel hadn't any force to defense. Demon won.

But suddenly, some spell casted him down.

"I don't let you tohurt him again!" Amelia with weep eyes, cried and left another strong spell.

"Amelia..."

_Light of my life, angel of my dreams._  
He saw light around her. _So this is it... this is justice._

"How can you hurt your own family!" Another spell.

"Especially... my Zelgadis!"

_My? Zelgadis?_

"Rah-Tilt!"

Lina, Gourry and audience, only watched her hidden power, which came from her heart.  
She thought that rah-tilt, will destroy only demon, but demon completely absorbed him.

"Finally... f...nally... light."

Last Sidag's words rang out and when the light disappeared, only ash remained.  
Zelgadis's view started to blur, brain slowly switched off, exhaustion.  
Amelia with Lina, Gourry and few other people came closer.

"Mr. Zelgadis?" She asked.

"Leave it..." Zelgadis said and fainted into land of dreams.

-

He woke up in some bed. _Was it a dream?_ When he realized, that the quality of bed is unusual, he figured out that it was a royal bed, palace.  
That was the last thing he expected. His hands reached his face, curse was still there. _At least i am alive._ It wasn't a dream, he really met his brother and fight with his fate to the last minute, Amelia helped of course. He looked out of window, then walked out of door, the room was downstairs. It was cold.  
He leaned on stone railing and thought about his life. '_Don't let the demon to absorb you as me, choose life.' Life._

"Zelgadis!" Amelia, which appeared in the door, happily shouted and ran towards him.

If he wasn't from stone, he would surely fell under pressure of her embrace. This time he returned it.

"Where is 'mister'?" He asked with a slight smile on his face.

"Does it matter?" Amelia examined his smile. Zelgadis didn't do it without purpose.

"Thanks." He said.

"For what?"

"For you." Zelgadis explained.

"Y-You are welcome..."

"What will you do, now?" She asked.

"I don't know..."

A thought entered his mind. He took a sphere with star from his pocket.

"I will fulfill my promise..."

He said and kissed her.

And snow fell on their shoulders.  
Zelgadis found his cure,  
and fulfilled his promise.

* * *

This could be the end, but its not.  
Two other fates are waiting for him or them? 


End file.
